Gail Perry Mason is a Detroit-area financial expert who leads with her heart in all things and believes good leaders lift others up. As the senior director of Investments for the Oppenheimer & Co., she’s found great success in the business world, but today we will call her hero as she has been named TPE Hero of the Month April 2014.

Gail Perry-Mason pictured with her son Dexter.

“Gail is someone who is invested in our young people and has gone the extra mile to bring them a program that helps them understand the importance of personal finance,” said Trish Brown, publisher of TPEPost.com and founder of TippingPointEducation.com, a national education foundation that supports education and workforce development efforts to sustain and grow the middle class. “Her sincere desire to help others within our community who need it most is something that deserves notice and honor. Her commitment to teaching financial literacy to the young people of Detroit is to be commended.”

Perry Mason was grateful for the people that helped her along the way, mentioning an extensive network that helped her on her pathway to success.

“It’s such an honor to receive this award and it’s not just for me, it’s for so many others who shoulders I stand on in this world. People opened doors and left them open for me to walk in. Others encouraged me on this journey to make a difference,” said Perry Mason, “I appreciate being called a hero for TPE and it needs an “S” on it because we are in this together to make a difference. A hero is a person that serves and I am honored to serve.”

Perry Mason climbed the corporate ladder from receptionist to Senior Director of Investments and mentored 25 women who are now in the financial industry.

She makes the world a better place by empowering others to leave a legacy of love. As a Financial Planner, Perry Mason’s takes on the role of lifting others up and taking them to a higher level. She is generous with compliments and words of encouragement. A hands-on teacher, Perry Mason’s philosophy is not only to teach others to fish; she enjoys going fishing with them.

In recent years, Perry Mason has experienced personal transformations. Starting from the inside, she has grown spiritual. On the outside, Gail is 50 pounds lighter. Renewed in many ways, Gail has successfully run more than seven 5k races, and is in the best physical shape of her life enjoying every minute of it. The encouragement of family and friends, especially Melody Hobson of Ariel Capital, has helped her achieve personal success.

Using adversity to gain strength, she attributes her success to the challenges she overcame. Adopted as a child, Perry Masonwas determined to show her appreciation to the woman who mothered her by choice. She successfully made her mother proud. With the attitude of “Success benefits others first,” She uses her gifts to make a difference.

Perry Mason is a proud mother three adult sons who have taught her a lot. Her oldest son, gifted academics, taught her the importance of education. Her middle son taught her about sports. Her youngest son taught her about music, art, and computers. She is their biggest cheerleader and she taught them relationships are important.

Perry Mason is not only a great teacher and role model to her sons, she reaches out to other students. She wants to instill into the next generation that ‘no one owes you anything and we have are all born with gifts and we must use them to benefit others.’

So committed to what she loves doing, Perry Mason has not vacationed in 18 years. She uses her free time to teach youth about financial literacy in Detroit. She makes it fun and adventurous by including activities and trips with a few hundred children in Detroit. They visit many places in Detroit as well as outside their comfort zone. These outings show them experiences that teach them to be empowered with knowledge and experience and give back.

“Detroit’s future is so bright that we need to wear sunglasses….We need to see the vision with love. Detroit will be an example for the rest of the country and all roads lead to Detroit,” said Perry Mason.

Big on education, Perry Mason says, “I am so proud of the youth that I taught 18 years ago are now adults and come back to volunteer at my Money Matters Camp. It’s a cycle of love and giving back that can’t be broken. I am also proud that all three of my sons will be better than me.”

Perry Mason wants to add value to life for her sons, family, friends, youth, seniors, and clients. If she could sum up a message to the world in one sentence, she would say, “Love, give, be kind, honor others and God, pray, take action, gain wisdom, and repeat daily.”

About Janine Folks - Spiritual Columnist

Janine Folks is a licensed and ordained minister, inspirational writer of a weekly newspaper column, columnist for a national Christian magazine, self-published author of several books, and co-founder of a women’s prayer group called Women of Transition. Janine holds a B. A. in Liberal Studies with concentrations in Business, Sociology and Communications from the University of Michigan. Janine has studied Clinical Pastoral Education in Detroit, MI and works as a chaplain in the medical field. An avid roller skater, 2013 recipient of a Spirit of Esther Award from the Alliance of Women in Ministry, Janine lives in Michigan is a mother of three.